Enterprise Connect is coming up next week, and we have a full line-up of mobility sessions. Fred Knight, Eric Krapf and I have actually been working on this program for the past five months and we wrestled with which mobility topics would have the most value to our audience. In the end, our major areas of focus are tablets, mobile device ecosystems, 4G, mobility management and how enterprises should craft their strategy to mobilize UC.
Here's a quick rundown on the mobility sessions to watch for:
* UC Mobile Devices in the Age of iPhones, Androids and Tablets (Monday, 9AM): Representatives from handset makers and mobile operators will be giving us their perspectives and insights not just on the device ecosystems, but other key developments in the mobility space like 4G, bring your own device ("BYOD"), and apps versus web-based mobile solutions. We know all of the UC vendors will be talking up mobility. Here's where we'll hear what the mobility industry has to say about those efforts.
* Summit: What's Next for the Mobile Enterprise? (Monday, 1PM): Our Summit session will feature representatives from the two national operators who have deployed "undisputed" 4G services (Verizon and Sprint), the primary enterprise handset manufacturer (RIM), and one of the leading UC/IP PBX vendors (Siemens Enterprise Communications). We plan a far reaching discussion on developments in mobile networks, device ecosystems, mobility policies, and regulation.
* The Role of Tablets in Enterprise UC (Tuesday, 2:30PM): For the first time at Enterprise Connect we’ll have a panel dedicated to tablets and their role in mobile UC. With representatives from Avaya, Cisco, Polycom, NEC, and RIM all the major ecosystems for enterprise tablet will be covered. We look to get some insights into how these devices are being adopted, used, supported, and secured in enterprise environments.
* Managing the Mobile Monster (Tuesday, 3:45PM): For this session we’ve invited two mobile industry veterans to give us their perspectives on mobility management best practices. Philippe Winthrop, Managing Director of the Enterprise Mobility Forum will lead off with an overview of the major areas to be addressed in mobility management. Then Michael Voellinger, EVP for Telwares mobility practice, will discuss some of the approaches his clients are taking to stay on top of this fast growing field. For a sneak preview of Michael’s presentation, some of his slides are already posted.
* Integrating Mobility and UC RFP (Wednesday, 2:30PM): This is the third time we have run the Mobile UC RFP challenge, and 10 vendors have signed up to "go to the mattresses". I've changed up the RFP requirements this time and we’re looking for solutions that address core mobile UC capabilities like single number accessibility and integrated voicemail, but we've also asked them to address those requirements across a wider range of platforms including iPhone, Android, and even basic handsets. I've seen the solutions already and they show a lot more creativity than what we’ve seen in the past. This is always the best place to see in detail what the UC providers really have in terms of mobility offering and what it's going to cost you.
Along with these, I'm also hosting a Coffee Talk with Serge Razafindrakoto of LSU on Mobility and UC, Tuesday at 8:00 AM). Our coffee talks are free flowing discussions of major topics in the mobility space where we invite participants describe how they are addressing these issues in their organizations. So if you're up early enough, grab a cup and come share your ideas on how we can best manage the revolution in mobility.
Hope to see you in Orlando.
